As I write this, I am sitting on my bed at home. Uni-home, not home-home. I'm Emily by the way. Currently awaiting the start of my final semester at University...I can't believe how fast the time has gone! Seems like only yesterday that I moved two car-loads of stuff into 'halls' on campus. Now here we are, 2 1/2 years later, contemplating exactly how I am going to move all of the stuff I have acquired since, back home-home. It's a scary, yet exciting prospect. Four more months and I will be done with the whole 'student' thing - for now, at least. Whilst I don't want to wish my life away, these few months have permission to tootle off! Bored now! Want to get on with the next phase in my life. Try new things. Earn some money! Not for splurging on going out, new clothes, or the latest gadgets. Oh no. I am saving. I am fortunate to have a job lined up for when I finish here, all geared towards my goal of saving money for this trip.

This trip.

I am so excited, I don't know where to start!! My best friend Helen and I decided back in the summer of 2012 that we would save all that we could, to enable us to do a touring-trip of the good ol' U-S of A. We plan to spend three months over there, travelling from city to city, staying for anywhere between three and fourteen days at each location. We have the route planned and mapped, now for the logistics. The plan is to depart from London Heathrow on 1st September 2014 (I know, it's SOOO far away - we're going to do this properly!) and begin our American adventures in Seattle. Then we have a whole list of locations we intend to visit, spending one month on the West side, one month in the South, and one month in the North-Eastern states.

What I am trying to suss out at the moment, is how to travel between cities. There are some routes (e.g. Las Vegas - New Orleans) that we intend to fly....no one wants to lose 2 days travelling! But there are others, (e.g. Salt Lake City - San Francisco) that may be better by bus/train. If anyone out there has any advice on travelling (and costs $$$) within the States, it would be greatly received!! I had initially looked at Greyhound coaches, but then read a looooad of reviews and have been scared off (Newly-released convicts get given free greyhound tickets?? Really???)!!

I will post a full list of our intended locations once I have spoken to H this weekend. Hopefully this blog will act as a progress-report whilst planning the trip, as well as a means of documenting our experiences as and when the time comes!